Carbon nanotubes have been proposed to have utility in a number of applications due to their large effective surface area, mechanical strength, and thermal and electrical conductivity. Many of these applications are particularly well suited for carbon nanotubes grown on glass substrates (e.g., glass fiber composite materials).
In order to synthesize carbon nanotubes, a catalyst is generally needed to mediate carbon nanotube growth. Most often the catalyst is a metal nanoparticle, particularly a zero-valent transition metal nanoparticle. A number of methods for synthesizing carbon nanotubes are known in the art including, for example, micro-cavity, thermal- or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD), laser ablation, arc discharge, flame synthesis, and high pressure carbon monoxide (HiPCO) techniques. Generally, such methods for synthesizing carbon nanotubes involve generating reactive gas phase carbon species under conditions suitable for carbon nanotube growth.
Synthesis of carbon nanotubes on solid substrates, including glass substrates, can be carried out using many of these techniques. However, carbon nanotube growth rates on glass substrates have heretofore been insufficient to facilitate high throughput syntheses in continuous processes. As a result of this difficulty, undesirably short carbon nanotubes can be produced or undesirably slow process line speeds can be required.
In view of the foregoing, processes for growing carbon nanotubes on glass substrates at high growth rates would be of substantial benefit in the art. The present disclosure satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well.